Get ready to finely hone those acceptance speeches – and dig out your glad rags and party clothes – because it’s Award time!

Fed up with awards that require a huge amount of effort, marketing and cajoling friends to vote for you – we thought we would set up our own simple Blog Award

And here it is – the Blog of the Year 2012 Award

The ‘rules’ for the award are simple:

1 Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award

2 Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.

3 Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award – http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/ and include these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)

4 Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them

5 You can now also join our Facebook page – click the link here ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/BlogoftheYear/ and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience

6 As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…

Yes – that’s right – there are stars to collect!

… more about those in a moment!

But first … drum roll please … here are the blogs I have chosen to receive the 2012 Award…

I have chosen 12 blogs that have interested and excited me – and kept me coming back for more this year…

Show My Face for setting up the ‘Six Word Saturday’ project and faithfully running it every week for us all

Brenda Youngerman lively writing, great books and inspiration

Two minutes of Grace a place to find rest and encouragement for your soul

My Hmmm Collection beautiful words and pictures to inspire and encourage

Lynda Renham Cook a wonderful writer who paints pictures with words

Scrambled not Fried always a great Six Word Saturday and a loyal commenter

Read me great book reviews and photo challenges

The Laughing Housewife ­writing about real life with honesty and humour

Lucid Gypsy I’ve recently discovered this great blog and I have a soft spot for it as they are based in the West Country – lovely photos and words that remind me of ‘home’

Mind Blur a great blog that always gives me new ideas of books to read

Believe Anyway always adds a new perspective to life

Christian Fantasy for Women a different slant on contemporary writing – and a great commenter

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I have also been cheeky and bestowed the award upon my other blog – Algarve Blog – so that I can hop over there and share this award with all the expat and Portugal based blogs that have kept me entertained and informed this year … and that gives me two award ceremonies to attend!

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So to all the wonderful blogs I have listed above – here it is – your very own ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award:

With one very shiny star!

Because unlike other awards which you can only add to your blog once – this award is different!

You begin with the ‘1 star’ award – and every time you are given the award by another blog – you can add another star!

There are a total of 6 stars to collect.

Which means that you can check out your favourite blogs – and even if they have already been given the award by someone else – you can still bestow it on them again and help them to reach the maximum 6 stars!

You can find out more about the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award by clicking this banner:

And that just leaves me time to congratulate everyone that has been given the award – and to encourage you all to join in – you don’t even have to wait to be nominated to give the award to others…

And Thank You again to all the blogs and writers I have given this award too – your writing inspires, encourages and entertains me – thank you.